Protective packaging



July 5, 1960 A. D. BROWN ao'rscnva PACKAGING Filed Oct. 1, 1959 ALFRED aaaowu,

ATTORNEY PROTECTIVE PACKAGING Alfred D. Brown, Chatham, N.J., assignor to Fellowcraft lilngineering, Inc., Newark, N.J., a corporation of New ersey Filed Oct. 1, 1959, Ser. No. 843,855

14 Claims. (Cl. 206-46) The present invention relates to package constructions in which the item carried is protected from damage which might occur from physical shock, from handling in transit and even when the package is dealt with in a negligent manner, and more particularly to the type of protective package in which the item carried is suspended. The packaging method taught herein, is for example ap plicable for the shipment of fragile articles, bottled goods and precision machined parts. In fact, any item, regardless of how delicate its nature, is safely, cheaply and easily packed by the practice of this invention.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved means for holding an item suspended in a shipping case, carton or the like, so that it is protected from damage and which is applicable for items of various sizes, shapes and contours; said means being made merely of pliable sheetings having shock-absorbing and vibration-filtering quality. Only a pair of such sheets pre-cut as herein taught, are required for each item to be packaged. No other appurtenances are required and cushioning is not resorted to. All contact with the item packaged, is abrasion-free. No special tools or skill are needed to make the package. If desired, the packing may be made dust, dirt and water proofed.

Another object thereof is to provide novel and improved holding and suspending means of the character mentioned, which is simple in construction, reasonably cheap to manufacture, easyto use and efficient in carrying out the purposes for which it is designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosure proceeds.

For the practice of this invention, one form it may assume, is to have two identical blanks of pliable sheet material of vinyl coated nylon, having a central section with equi-width, equi-spaced tapes extending therefrom around the entire perimeter of such central section, integral therewith and so arranged that when one of said sheets is turned over and set onto the other, the tapes of one can be interlaced with the tapes of the other. The article to be packaged is placed between the central sections of said two sheet members and the tapes are interlaced so that the tapes from the upper blank extend downwardly and the tapes of the lower blank extend upwardly. The item thus wrapped, is placed in a box of a predetermined larger size, and the tape ends are secured to the box Walls so that the wrapped item is suspended and all the tapes are taut. Securing of the tape ends may be by the use of adhesive, staples, nailing, and when expense is not a factor, the box may have attached thereto a multiplicity of belt buckles for engaging the tape and regions.

In a modified form, the blanks formed as above de scribed, may include a slitted tab extending from the cen- "be protected against water damage by waterrproofing its atent enclosure formed of the blanks, by sealing all openings between the blanks and by securing the said tabs onto the tapes threaded therethrough with a proper adhesive.

Also, if desired, parts of the perimetral zones of the central sections of the blanks may be sewn together prior to the inseriton of the item to be packaged therebetween, as will be explained.

A more detailed description of preferred embodiments of this invention will now be given, for which I refer to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of sheet blank employed, of which two are used to make the package.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the second blank which is identical with that of Fig. 1, except that it is positioned in relation thereto so that the tapes of both blanks can be interlaced when the central sections of said blanks are one above the other.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of both said blanks, showing tapes of one interlaced with tapes of the other.

Fig. 4 is a face view of a modified form of blank, which is like the others shown, except that the mentioned slitted tabs are included.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken at line 5-5 in Fig. 4-, when a pair of blanks of this type are associated with their tapes interlaced and through the slits at the tabs respectively.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section taken at line 6--6 in Fig. 4 under the same conditions set forth in the description of Fig. 5,.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken through a shipping container, which may be a carton, box, crate or frame structure of any suitable material and form in which the item to be shipped has been suspended in accordance with this invention by the use of a pair of blanks of the type herein taught,

Figs. 8 and 9 are sections taken in similar fashion those shown in the Figs. 5 and 6 respectively, with this ex.- ception, that whereas in Fig. 5, the finger or tape extend.- ing from the upper sheet member extends downwardly and the tape extending from the lower sheet extends up.- wardly in the packing box, the arrangements shown in Figs. 8 and 9, have the finger or tape from the upper sheet member extending upwardly and the tape from the lower sheet extend downwardly respectively in the packing box. These are the manners of associating a pair of sheet members of the type shown in Fig. 4.

The Figs. 5, 6, 8 and 9 are drawn to an enlarged scale and each shows one tape of one sheet laced through the slit at a tab in the other sheet.

In the drawing, the numeral 15 designates generally a member of pliable sheeting having some resilient quality. A vinyl-coated synthetic, as for instance vinyl-coated nylon is recommended for this purpose, because it is strong and impervious to water, is of resilient quality and is vi bration-absorbing when taut. For wrapping many sorts of articles, the form shown may be stamped, die-cut or otherwise fabricated from a rectangular sheet so that it have a rectangular central section 16, from which around its entire perimeter, there extend equi-width, equi-spaced fingers or tapes numbered from 1'7-28 in the drawing. Opposite fingers are in staggered relation, so that when a second member like 15 is turned over and set under the first with central sections opposite one the other, the fingers of one sheet will be in staggered relation to the fingers of the other. Hence, I have shown such second sheet designated by the numreal 15' and have designated its tapes with similar numbers as used for those of the sheet 15, but primed, and have denoted its central section by Patented July 5, 1960 to carry two articles separated from each other.

the numeral 16'. It is evident that all the tapes of one sheet can be interlaced with all the tapes of the other sheet as is shown in part in Fig. 3.

So, to suspend an article 29 for safe shipment in for instance the crate 30, two identical sheet members like 15, are positioned one over and the other under the item 29, so that their tapes can be interlaced, and so done, brought taut to the box walls where they are suitably secured as indicated for instance by the staples at 31. The tape ends of the upper member 15 are secured at the bottom of the container 30 and the tape ends of the lower member 15 are secured at the top of said container. The central portions 16, 16 are of course taut and the item 29 is properly suspended for safeshiprnent. Although not shown, the container 30 may have belt buckles or other tight tying means attached thereto to engage the tape ends, as is readily evident and needs no further illustration for those versed in the mechanical arts.

The sheet member shown in Fig. 4 is identical with sheet member 15, except that it includes a tab 32 extending from the central section between each pair of succe'ssive tapes; such tabs, each having a slit 33 inward of itself along its line of juncture with the central section. The suspension member shown in Fig. 4 is designated generally by the numeral 15", but its tapes and central section are numbered as corresponding parts are indicated in Fig. 1. We can therefore refer to Fig. 3, holding in mind that now, the tabs are present.

are given as mere examples of applications of my present invention, requiring slight modification from its simplest form.

In shipping rooms for articles of mass production, a stock of blanks 15, 15 properly dimensioned in relation to the article 29 to be packaged and the one size container 30 allocated, need be kept, and, anyone with only a hammer and staples, or in many instances with only a staple In making the package with sheet members of the type shown in Fig. 4, each tape of the upper member on the item 29, is laced through the slit of the tab it contacts on the lower sheet member, and each tape of such lower suspension member is laced through the slit of the tab it contacts on the upper suspension sheet member respectively, and then the ends of the tapes of the upper suspension sheet member secured at the bottom of the container 30, and the ends of the tapes of the, lower suspension sheet member secured at the top of said container after all tapes are made taut. The dimensions of the central sections of the sheet members should be chosen to fit the article encased thereby and of course the length of the tapes should be sufficiently long to permit their mounting onto the container structure. Fig. 5 shows the finger or tape 25 of the upper sheet member 15" laced through a slit at the tab 32 it contacts on the lower sheet member 15", and such tape extends downwardly in the package structure. Fig. 6 shows the finger or tape 23' of the lower sheet member 15 (the mate of sheet 15") laced through a slit at the tab it contacts on the upper sheet member 15", and such tape extends upwardly in the package structure.

It is to be noted that whensuspension sheets of the type shown in Fig. 4 are used, it is also possible to suspend the item 29, by having the tapes of the upper sheet 15" extend upwardly in the container as shown in Fig. 8,

and the tapes of the lower sheet 15", extend downwardly in the container as shown in Fig. 9.

In the use of suspension sheets of the type shown in Fig. 1, interlaced tapes in the completed package may intersect each other intermediate their lengths, thus leaving parts of the item 29 exposed. However, in the use of suspension sheets of the type shown in Fig. 4, the carried item 29 is fully covered. If desired, the compartment effected by the central sections of such sheets of Fig. 4, may be sealed by cementing the flaps 32 onto their associated tapes as indicated in the Figs. 5 and 6, and any further openings likewise closed to make the compartment tight against dust, dirt and water.

Another way of using the pair of sheets, is to first at- 't'ach them to one another along the lines A, A as by a 'line of'machine sewing. To make compartments for separate articles, first attach the pair of sheets to each 'other alongthe lines B, B.

Such last mentioned single line of stitching,.permits a single pair of suspension sheets These gun, can do the packaging which is shown complete in Fig. 7. Where the containers have belt buckles or other tight tying means attached thereto to engage the tape ends, packaging is simplified and needs no tools.

Although vinyl-coated nylon and vinyl-coated synthetics are recommended as the preferred materials for the suspension sheet members, other pliable but strong enough materials may be used. In many instances, sheetings of fabric, rubber, plastic and even paper may sutfice for the practice of this invention.

The shape of the central section of the suspension sheet members may be other than rectangular and in some instances it may be advisable that they be made of difierent sizes and contours to suit the item to be held suspended by them. This is readily understood by those versed in the mechanical arts and needs no further illustration.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and various applications without departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It is therefore intended and desired that the embodiments shown herein shall be deemed illustrative and not restrictive and that the patent shall cover all patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being had to the following claims rather than to the specific description herein to indicate the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. Means for suspending an article within a container, comprising a pair of pliable sheet members, each having a central section for holding an article between them; each of said central sections having a series of tapes in tegral therewith and extending respectively in opposite directions from its perimeter for attachment to the walls of the container; the tapes of one sheet member extending substantially in the same directions respectively as the tapes of the other sheet member; all the tapes of each sheet member being arranged so that those extending in one direction are in spaced relation and those extending in the opposite direction being in spaced relation with each other and in staggered relation with respect to the former tapes whereby when the sheets are set with their central sections opposite each other and one of the sheets turned over, the tapes of one sheet will lie between the tapes of the other sheet.

2. Means as defined in claim 1, wherein the sheet members are substantially identical and the spacing of the tapes which extend in one direction is substantially identical to the spacing of the tapes which extend in the opposite direction.

3. Means as defined in claim 1, wherein the sheet members have some resilient quality.

4. A means as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the central sections of the sheet members are substantially identical and the tapes extend therefrom in spaced relation from around substantially its entire perimeter.

5. A means as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the central sections of the sheets are rectangular and tapes extend from its four sides.

6. A means as defined in claim 1, including a substantially rigid outer container and an article to be packaged; said article being between said central sections of the sheet members Within and spaced from the walls of the container; the tapes of one sheet member being interlaced with the tapes of the other sheet member; all tapes being taut and secured to the container.

7. A means as defined in claim 1, including tabs extending integral from the central section of each sheet member, one tab between substantially every pair of successive tapes around each of saidperimeters; there being a slit within the confines of each tab to receive a tape therethrough of the sheet other than the one having from which the tab extends.

8. A means as defined in claim 7, wherein each slit is along the line of junction of a tab and the central section it is in extension of.

9. A means as defined in claim 7, including a substantially rigid outer container and an article to be packaged; said article being between said central sections of the sheet members within and spaced from the walls of, the container; the tapes of each sheet member being threaded through the slits in the other sheet member respectively and interlaced with the tapes of such other sheet member respectively; all the tapes being taut and secured to the container.

10. A means as defined in claim 7, including a substantially rigid outer container and an article to be packaged; said article being between said central sect-ions of the sheet members within and spaced from the walls of,

the container; the tapes of each sheet member being threaded through the slits in the other sheet member re-' spectively and extending to the walls of the container whereby the tapes of one sheet member are spaced from the tapes of the other sheet member; all the tapes being taut and secured to the container.

11. Means as defined in claim 1, wherein the sheet members are of plastic-coated fabric material.

12. Means as defined in claim 1, wherein the sheet members are of vinyl-coated synthetic material.

13. Means as defined in claim 1, wherein the sheet members are of vinyl-coated nylon.

14. Means as defined in claim 1, wherein the sheet members are joined along a line on their central sec- 15 tions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 597,391 Carpenter Ian. 18, 1898 

